And So It Is
by reluctantreader
Summary: Jukebox Contest 'Host's Choice' Winner: His job was to ensure her immortality. But when he falls in love with her instead, his ignorance will be the downfall of them all. Post 'Breaking Dawn' AU. Rated for a hand full of 'F' bombs .


**Author's Note:** **Just a heads up, this reads (as most of my works do) better in 1/2 page setting for the site. Fair warning to those unaccustomed to me as a writer, I'm wordy as hell and often have minimum dialogue. This story is no different. I hope you enjoy it and don't be afraid to drop me a line at the end. Also, go check out the other 42 (yeah, i know!) entries at the official ffn page. Do an author's search of JukeboxContest.  
**

**~Tay  
**

* * *

**The Jukebox contest**

**Title:** And So It Is

**PenName:** reluctantreader

**Beta:** coachlady1

**Song choice:** The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice

**Rating:** M (a handful of F-bombs)

**Word Count:** 5,782 (w/o lyrics)

**Pairing:** Alec & Renesmee/Nessie

**Summary:** His job was to ensure her immortality. But when he falls in love with her instead, his ignorance will be the downfall of them all.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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"And so it is  
Just like you said it would be  
Life goes easy on me  
Most of the time  
And so it is  
The shorter story  
No love, no glory  
No hero in her skies

I can't take my eyes off of you

And so it is  
Just like you said it should be  
We'll both forget the breeze  
Most of the time  
And so it is  
The colder water  
The blower's daughter  
The pupil in denial

I can't take my eyes off of you

Did I say that I loathe you?  
Did I say that I want to  
Leave it all behind?

I can't take my mind off of you."

~~_The Blower's Daughter_ by Damien Rice~~

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He was a soulless beast, created for destruction; he would remember that every time he looked upon the lost and broken creature, his now constant companion.

He had done that to her; he had put that vacant look into her eyes. But it was too late now to put the pieces back together. How many more months had to pass before she became whole again? Would it take years, or maybe decades?

Centuries?

He feared the answer as much as he knew the inevitability of it; it would take over an eternity because it would never come.

Over eight years had passed since Alec had helped to crush the girl's spirit, and still nothing had changed. It was his entire fault too—his own blind stupidity—that was the worst part. Still, he found himself wishing things had gone differently; wishing he could go back and undo every caress, every promise. No, that wasn't what he truly wanted. He wanted to be a smarter person—he may have been a vampire, but he could have been a smarter man—so that this situation would have had a better outcome. But there was never another option for him; as much as he wished their love had rung true, his lifestyle would never have allowed for something like that.

She used to be so beautiful, too. It wasn't as if she wasn't beautiful now, but the fire was gone. The innocence was gone, too, but Caius had made sure of that. Alec knew he had a reputation for being a twisted fucker himself, but the whole time he had just been following orders; Aro, Caius, and Marcus pulled all of the real strings. He was only left to do their bidding. Caius had wanted to make sure the Cullen's paid for the Volturi's embarrassment that snowy day and he'd used Alec as a simple pawn.

So many lives destroyed for pride.

Alec had to hand it to his most hostile master. Caius _was_ calculating. He was also patient, patient enough to put a plan into motion that would span over a quarter of a century, trampling over everyone and everything until he felt vindicated. Arrogance was lethal. Alec, above all others, could attest to that fact, but that was before _her_. That was before Carlie.

Well, she went by Renesmee back then, but that name brought back too many painful memories for her. She didn't even acknowledge the name when anyone shouted it. Some of the more demented fuckers whispered it in the halls when she was nearby just to see if she'd fall apart. It wasn't as if she could take on any of the full vampires in the guard, as she'd been originally born a Halfling and all, but they attempted to pick fights, regardless. She used to stiffen anytime she heard her name. She'd fall to pieces, crying tearless cries and screaming nonsense if anyone were brave enough to call her Nessie.

But that was years ago and now… now she'd given up. She was just an empty shell. Not even a shell really; a shell implied that she was still a figure of what she once was. No, a shell wasn't what she was at all; she was nowhere near the bright and vivid being she used to be. She used to light up a room with soft eyes and even softer smiles. Her sweet voice and warmth could captivate any audience, no matter the company. She was a stunning moon in a sky of shimmering stars. But that was before her universe imploded, before she let Alec and all of his corruption blacken her soul like the deadening of night. Yes, she was like the end of days now, an apocalyptic eclipse in a vacuum of emptiness; she was nothing now, just a vacant place in time.

And it was entirely his fault.

Yes, Alec had been following orders, but if he had been paying attention, it wouldn't have had to come to this. Caius had asked him to check on Renesmee and the Cullens once a year as "insurance." If he had been smarter, if he would have wondered what threat Caius could have possibly perceived, everything would be so much different now. But Alec was loyal; he didn't dare raise questions to those in command. He went about his business, checking in once a year, staying for days, sometimes weeks at a time to ensure the Cullen's abomination would stop aging.

Oblivious, stupid, detached. Alec was a lot of things, but he was not _the one thing_ that he needed to be in order to prevent this outcome: heartless.

It was impossible to be such with a budding woman giving him small glances and lingering touches. Despite the warnings and tensions throughout her family, Renesmee always invited him closer, not to be a mere shadow cast off in the outskirts of her celebratory functions. She reassured him that he was welcome, even though everyone knew otherwise. She engaged him, hailed him as a friend in mixed company at birthday parties; she acted as if his presence was a gift within itself, year after year when he reminded her that he had nothing for her.

Ever the doted upon daughter, it was his visits alone that caused her to beam as if he'd set the moon at her feet, casting aside ostentatious presents in favor of his company. And he would speak with her well into the nights until she regretfully fell asleep, until those times faded and gave way to sunrise conversations, when she no longer needed to shut her eyes. Time had stood still for her eventually and Alec could not pretend not to feel bittersweet.

He had informed Caius of this time, telling his master that his visits were no longer required, some fifteen years of his service suddenly feeling unnecessary, though he could not pinpoint the exact moments when he began looking forward to his yearly check-ups. But Caius had surprised Alec then, reminding him who would tell whom when his business was done.

Alec could not say that he was disappointed to return to the Cullen's the following year. He could also not help feeling more than pleased to announce to Renesmee's wide, stunned eyes that he would be staying for an entire two months time, his own eyes holding shock as she leapt from her bed to pull him into a firm embrace.

"That's awesome," she had breathed into his neck as she squeezed him. "We're going to have so much fun! There's so much I want to show you!" She had gripped him tighter then, and he hadn't realized it was in reaction to his own arms finally securing around her small frame.

It was not as if they'd never touched before—oh no, Renesmee had been raised to show her affections—it had just been the first time such an overtly affectionate grip had been extended to him and he had returned it. And seeing as how they were alone in her home, an anomaly in and of itself, it had not gone unnoticed by either of them. As they unwound from each other with ease, as if they had been lovers for years, Renesmee had commented about how her family had gone hunting. Alec had found it unnerving, but Renesmee had simply kissed his cheek before pulling him to her bed to speak of all the amazingly fun adventures they would share.

That had been the first time that Alec should've run from her; he should've damned the consequences and left her there on her bed, splayed out between magazines and forever-teenage ramblings. But amongst the photos of the next "It" human and the chart-topping singing sensation, Alec knew that he had other personality traits that he'd never truly experienced before without blood to aid them. He realized that when it came to Renesmee, not only was he selfish, but he was also greedy.

And it was his selfishness and his greed that kept him there that day that provoked his limbs to relax and move him to sit upon her bed. That carried his voice to speak of nonsensical fads and clothing, that allowed him to twiddle the ends of her curls that bobbed as she laughed exuberantly, that enticed his fingers to lazily sweep across the outside seam of her blue jeans as light and color faded and distorted into night.

They had spoken for an eternity that night, only pausing to remark on how beautiful the rising sun appeared through the crystallized droplets of rain caught in the window's screen. It was a truly beautiful sight that Alec had never taken the time to appreciate. It was made all the more beautiful by the company he kept, and he found himself staring to the left rather than to the east as streams of brightness glittered and tinkled off of likened skin. Their conversation had restarted then, as easy as it had always been, but with a difference in the air that neither of them voiced out loud, though they both felt it within themselves.

Greatness never lasts long. Alec understood this more than most, especially now, but at the time he couldn't help but feel put out when the distant rustling of leaves reminded him that he wasn't seen by the rest of the Cullens as he was seen by Renesmee. They all viewed him as an unwanted nescience, a reminder of a time when their lives could have been snubbed out. He understood them really. Knowing their beloved daughter as he'd come to, Alec couldn't imagine what his existence would have been like without her in it; he would not have wanted to live in a life without his newest... friend.

And at that time, even when he'd found that the term "friend" was lacking, he was happy for it. He'd lived and had never felt the draw and appeal of such a creature. It was true that she was officially a vampire then, but she would always be something more, something beyond belief.

But as it was, Alec didn't dwell on those thoughts or why he was having them at all; instead, he listened to the swift and steady thumping of marble meeting ground, signaling that the comrades' speak of adventure was to pause for another time. Upon seeing her pout Alec couldn't hold back a chuckle, reminding Renesmee that they had two months' time to have all the fun that they could, and then it would be only a year before they could do it all again. He'd kissed her cool, sturdy cheek before hustling down to the living room to await the family's reappearance, fooling no one not even himself as to what he'd been up to.

**-x-x-x-x-x-**

Over the years the two vampires' time together had been binding, securing their friendship. Alec made good on his promises, taking small trips with Renesmee, making their own adventures. He even dared to partake in her family diet, though it was far from fulfilling.

"You're doing it wrong!" Renesmee had giggled to him, her features scrunching up as she took in his jostled and blood-soaked clothing. Alec had approached her by the stream, appearing from the woods dangling a half-drained buck with his teeth and copious amounts of debris in his hair.

"It's blood; there's no wrong way to drink it." Alec had wiped his mouth on his sleeve then, finally taking notice of the mess he'd made of himself and his meal. Renesmee laughed openly at his affronted face. "Well, if the damned thing hadn't kicked so much I wouldn't... have... had..."

Alec had never finished his sentence that cool, fall day as his laughter had overtaken him. It was a whimsical feeling, finally knowing what it was to laugh after centuries of silence and knowing whose presence made it all possible. It made him feel lightheaded and often left him wanting, for what, he pretended not to know.

"Well," Renesmee had tried composing herself to make her point, but soft chuckles continued sporadically escaping her. "You should snap its neck first. You know, to end his suffering and all." She'd ended her sentence with a sigh and sunk down to the ground, needlessly resting her back against a budding oak. "Plus, in doing so, it'll save you a hell of a lot on dry cleaning." She'd chuckled to herself again and closed her eyes, too, tilting her face toward the sun, as if wanting to soak up the rays that were hidden behind Washington's constant cloud coverage.

Alec had slumped down next to her, shoulder touching shoulder, and smiled up at the sky. "Yeah, well, I'll get better with practice."

Renesmee had looked over at him at that, a shocked yet hopeful smile delicately placed on her lips. "Practice?" She'd tried to suppress her surprise, but it was of no use. Over the years, Alec hadn't been one to hold his tongue for the distaste of the Cullen vegetarian diet. Though they'd spoken of many things amicably, the love of human blood was one conversation they'd argued over constantly, often leaving them huffing at one another and shrugging off each other's company. They both knew what his new statement had implied and what it would mean for their relationship if he chose to forgo his natural eating habits.

"Yeah." He'd turned toward her, barely breathing out his response. "Practice makes perfect, right? I mean," he had noticed his breath was shuddering, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from speaking, "as long as I have a good teacher."

Words had failed Renesmee as she gazed at him, not completely unfamiliar with the pulls and urges she found overwhelming her body. Alec's eyes, though still haunting with their blood red pools, drew her in and completely captivated her. His skin was creamy despite his pallor, accented with the faintest flush from his recent meal. He was beautiful. It wasn't the first time she'd thought so, but it was the first time that she hadn't allowed herself to be afraid to think it out loud.

And as they sat there, basking in the autumn breeze, the stream trickling quietly and the leaves' rustling briskly as their soundtrack, the two friends stopped pretending. They stop pretending to be just that, knowing full well that the past seventeen years had been a precedent for this moment.

And on that crisp and unidentifiable day in the fall, the friends became lovers, wrapped and wanting within each other, first as lips met gingerly, then as hands stroked and fingers pulled. Neither needed to breathe and the act was soon forgotten as they consummated a relationship they'd waited years to obtain, each one far longer than they cared to admit to the other.

They'd made love that day, right there next to a splashing creek and an aged oak, sheltered only by the clouds in the sky and the fallen leaves on the ground, the rumbling thunder of a nearby storm the only force strong enough to tear them out of the moment. They'd lain there for hours tangled in tongues and limbs, sated beyond their wildest fantasies as the first droplets of rain descended upon them.

But with the rain came harsh calls to reality as distant shouts surrounded the couple. The lovers had been gone for much longer than they'd intended, and in response, the Cullen family had been searching for their beloved daughter. The two had tentatively agreed to keep their new status to themselves, afraid of the impact of such a development from both sides of the spectrum.

Quickly, they had laid plans to get together again, to tell lie upon lie—whatever they had to do to see one another, at any cost. Renesmee had whispered to Alec that she loved him then, that she didn't expect him to say it back, even though she did. And if he'd agree to this, that they could work something out, some way to stay in touch and it'd all be all right, as long as he stayed faithful to only her. Alec had called her silly, whispering that she would be the only one in his mind and in his frozen heart. He had been choked up, but finally managed to confess that he loved her, too, and that it was so fucked up that it had to be done like this, all hushed whispers and alert ears. They kissed once, twice, three times before they knew they'd be heard, their fingers clutching until the last possible moment of unsuspected release.

So they had broken away from each other; each had cast back longing looks as the other departed farther away. Alec had sworn to himself on that day that he'd do anything for Renesmee, anything at all that she would ever want. Unbeknownst to him, Renesmee had promised herself much the same. Neither had known the repercussions of such actions until it was far, far too late.

**-x-x-x-x-x-**

Denial is blinding smog only visible to those who aren't consumed by it. Alec knew that now, but he'd been too supercilious and truly believed he and Renesmee could continue their secret rendezvous hidden for all eternity.

He'd been ordered to spend more and more time at the Cullen compound, his old home within the stone walls of Volterra becoming a distant memory. He rarely spent more than a month's time confined there, holding Aro's hand for days upon end to fill him in on all of the events that had come to pass. Though he was sure that his masters had known the feelings that had developed between him and his charge—the murky amber color of his eyes the more blaring give away to his transgressions—they had never commented on it and Alec foolishly believed that they were giving his relationship the privacy that he craved.

Though Alec was supposed to be staying with the Cullens, he and Renesmee had taken to hiding out in various states about the country. She would tell her loved ones that she was going backpacking, trying the lands as a vegetarian nomad, only to be swept into Alec's arms across state lines.

Her family had often wondered what appealed to their Nessie about being on her own; they were completely clueless as to whom she had spent her time with. Sure, the psychic had seen red eyes in her niece's future, but with as blurry as Nessie had always been to read, it was impossible to tell what was ever going on with that girl. It could have been a passing stranger for all she knew, and then with no heart beating or blood pumping through Nessie's system, she would no longer be an anomaly in the vampiric world, eliminating her from danger's radar.

Although Renesmee's father was a mind reader, she'd learned to block him out decades prior with words like menstruation and Justin Bieber. If she ever wanted her father out of her head, all she had had to do was sing "Baby" on repeat in her mind and he wouldn't have dared entered the same county as she, let alone the privacy of her mind.

Not even the dog had caused trouble for the lovers. The beauty of the wolf imprint was the simplicity of it all; the wolf wanted what the imprint wanted. And since Renesmee sought romance elsewhere, so did the mutt.

It had all seemed so easy for them. They'd felt invincible and in love. The only real problem had been the empath. Renesmee's uncle had ultimately caused the demise of the Cullen clan; he'd killed them all by doing nothing but using his ability and being too observant. Yes, Alec had spent the first few years blaming Jasper for his love's shortcomings; it had been so much easier to place fault than to admit that they were damned from the start.

The downfall of the secret lovers had been swift, had taken place on a day like any other. They had scheduled a trip away, a few weeks in Alaska to be spent hunting and lovemaking. The population of elk had taken a sudden heightening and Nessie had known that Alec preferred the strong herbivore to its deer cousin.

Alec had met Nessie there upon his return from Volterra. He'd only been required to spend two weeks there this time. He'd been surprised that his masters had allowed him early departure, but had chalked it up to Aro's extending a rare moment of grace, knowing that Alec had made plans and was eager to return to his beloved with a ring tucked safely into a velvet box, waiting impatiently in his jeans pocket.

He'd been so obtuse, he knew that now, for the true sinister plots of his masters had nothing to do with the romantic devices Alec had been keen to implement.

Jasper had followed Renesmee, confused by her disappearances and growing feelings of longing whenever she returned home from one of her "backpacking trips." He knew something strange was going on, but couldn't place his stone-like finger on it. His wife, Alice, had told him that their niece was just ready to be cut loose, that she was becoming a woman and simply craved her space and personal identity. Jasper had thought that her statements were nonsense, and since he was privy to Nessie's substantially shifting emotions, he wanted to see for himself what she had been up to.

And as Alec and Renesmee made love for the umpteenth time, a modest diamond ring sparkling between the two bodies as brightly in a snow-covered Alaskan clearing as their alien skin, Jasper had held a shocked breath while lingering in the tree line, disbelieving as to what he was witnessing. He'd run from them then, returning to his home to let the rest of his family know about the sheer recklessness of his niece, their daughter and granddaughter.

No one could deny that he'd spoken truths in between broken, dry sobs and shuddering breaths. Edward simply crumpled to the floor, wondering where he'd gone wrong with his innocent daughter, his wife, Bella, a timelessly frozen statue of regret and remorse by his side. The dog howled as he charged into the forest, restrained only by Emmett as he phased and re-phased, trapped as a shuddering mess of incredulity and agony. The family did not understand how Nessie could have been so stupid, so brainless as to believe that Alec, a standing member of the Volturi guard, could mean anything to her other than her own destruction.

They had all formulated a plan then—to go to Volterra themselves, a united front and demand to know what the Volturi's intentions were with their loved one.

Yes, they had all been damned from the start, but Alice's visions were subjective, and they had thought that her glimpses of purple smoke and snow-covered carnage were waking nightmares of what could have happened all those years ago. So they had decided to move forward, to venture north to steal back Renesmee from the Witch Twin and to travel onward to Italy and demand that the elders keep the two foolish teens apart.

Wretchedly, the Cullens never made it out of Washington, for in an eerily similar snow-blanketed clearing, a mass of Volturi soldiers descended upon the unsuspecting family. Agonizing internal fire burned the Cullen clan as soon as their eyes had widened in recognition of the scene before them. And one by one, Caius had been the executioner to rip the heads from every member of the heartbroken family, saving the dog for last so that he may gut the foul beast and string his entrails around the burning pyre of his fallen enemies.

Caius had danced that day for the first time in all of his existence. His brother Aro had clapped along and laughed at the sheer exuberance of his usually calloused comrade. Marcus had been the one to rein the two jokesters in, beckoning them to return home to the bright sun of Volterra. They had agreed easily, each embracing a smiling Jane for her quick and efficient work, making promises to bestow gifts of gems and blood at her feet.

The lovers had never finished out the remainder of their last trip; Nessie had decided to return home after several days passed without phone calls from her parents. Alec had protested at first, promising her that her family was probably fine and that he wanted her all to himself for just a little while longer. But he could deny her nothing, and had reluctantly relented on the grounds that he would trail after her so that he could snatch her back once her mind was settled and clear.

Oh, how Alec wished he could take back those wasted days.

The scene that greeted the besotted vampires was truly a lesson in sorrow. Renesmee had screamed for days, thrashing out at Alec, attempting to give him the same fate as her smoldering family. Unshed tears had echoed throughout the woods as did the sounds of howls and gnashing teeth, for Alec had had to destroy an entire wolf pack to protect his only love; without the bond of an imprint, an entire tribe was left to mourn the loss of extended family and friends.

So much destruction had happened those days, so many lives lost...

And Nessie had witnessed it all; she had stood, stone still, watching as Alec blinded and crushed his opposition in her name, going out of his way to paralyze his rivals to make quick work of them. He had tried to blind Renesmee, too, but a hand to his cheek later had shown him that she hadn't really been seeing anyway; she was hollow inside. Those were the days that the screaming had stopped, the days where she would be so overcome with grief that her previous luminescence dimmed until she was dark. And the day she had asked him to go home... Alec could barely remember that time without an ache in his chest.

"Let's just get home, now," she had whispered with an empty breath. These had been the first words she'd spoken in nearly three weeks that weren't broken sobs or stuttered pleas for it all to be a dream.

They were still in the clearing; they hadn't left since they'd discovered the scene. Their clothes were tattered and soiled, hands and feet caked with dried blood from meals Alec had forced upon them both.

"Home?" Alec had questioned her, not sure to what she had been referring. He couldn't believe that she would really want to go to the Cullen estate. Surely, if it had taken her this long to leave the snow-covered ashes of her once family, she would fall apart again with any lingering scent of her loved ones. "I don't know if that's—"

But Renesmee had cut him off with a shake of her head. "No, to Italy," she had replied, the eerily dead monotone of her voice sending chills up his spine. "That's where they want us, so let's just go before they come back here."

She had turned on her heel then, barely shifting as she made a slow procession from his sight. Alec had been confused and hurt; he'd hoped she realized that he was sorry for her. Though, as selfish as he was, he was secretly relived that they would no longer have to hide their relationship. Alec was sure the guard would welcome them with open arms—there could've been no way they'd done this, knowing that it would devastate his love.

But that's exactly what had happened.

It was true, open arms all around had greeted the pair as they strode into the historic city. Open palms and cheers had saturated the air as member upon member of the guard had welcomed the lovers to their new home. At first, Alec had believed that it was simply the news of his secret rendezvous had leaked into public knowledge, but he was soon corrected once Renesmee had strode purposefully into the throne tower, slumping her shoulders in defeat as she bowed down before his masters.

"Masters," she had greeted meekly, not even making eye contact when her head rose.

Caius had smiled wickedly then, steepling his fingers under his chin as he regarded the abomination's trounced figure. "Well, hello there, Halfling. What brings you here, hmm?"

Alec had known at that moment that Nessie had been correct; they had done this. Some way, somehow, they'd decimated his love's family, and in return, they'd destroyed her, too.

"You have beckoned me, so I am here. Do what you will." She had tilted her head to the side then, exposing her neck in a way to show surrender.

It was the equivalent of asking for death in Alec's eyes, and he had rushed to her side to protect her from them, crouching and baring his teeth to his leaders, daring them to make a move.

Aro had simply tutted at Alec's display, shaking his head with an amused smile as Caius chuckled, a tenor laugh floating in the empty space between them.

Caius collected himself quickly, straightening his black robe before addressing Alec's sneer. "You'll mind yourself in our company, child," he had chided. "You may keep your Halfling bride-to-be as a gift for all of your hard work." Caius flicked his wrist then, dismissing the still hunched vessel of a girl and her thunderstruck fiancé.

Alec had been stunned silent, his movements mechanical as he scooped up his limp lover and carried her through several halls until they appeared before his room door. He had placed her down for a moment, only to open the door and pick her up again, carting her to a lavish bed. If Renesmee had questioned why he had such an extravagant, obviously brand new bed nestled into his cold room, she had made no note of it. Just as she had taken no notice of the small velvet box Alec slipped from his pocket, discarded into a forgettable—and equally new—dresser drawer.

The furnishing had all been gifts from his masters, but now they seemed to be bribes. He sat there, statue still with his Nessie close beside him, mulling over Caius' parting words. They did not speak or blink or breathe for one week's time, each lost in their own misery and musings.

Finally, the guilt had pressed down onto Alec's deadened heart; he needed Renesmee to know that he had nothing to do with the destruction of her family.

"Ness—" Her screams killed the words on his tongue and iced his already cool skin.

He'd tried several more times to engage his beloved, waiting for her cries to die out before starting again as soon as her name attempted to roll from his lips. It took nearly half a moon before he chose her middle name and was surprised when only the smallest of whimpers escaped her.

He had also been equal parts surprised and horrified when she'd spoken back to him, two single words that made him realize that he had been a fool to enter her life at all.

"Human blood."

They had been grave and clipped, but there had been no mistaking her words.

"Carlie, you know you don't want that," he had desperately whispered to her, ignoring the snickers he could hear from the other side of the door.

She had turned her vacant eyes to him then, repeating herself, her voice raising an octave with every word she spoke, until she was screaming loud enough for the entire castle to hear.

Alec gave up at that moment, gripping Nessie's shoulder roughly, dragging her behind him as he stormed out of the decadent building. They barely reached the parameter of the city lines before they encountered a family of three to be feasted upon.

"Is that what you want?" Alec had whispered harshly into her ear. "You want to hurt this family like _they_ hurt you?" He jerked his head toward the city walls so that she hadn't needed further explanation as to whom he'd been referring.

She had blankly stared back, chilling him to his very core. "I have nothing left."

Her words had hurt him beyond anything he had ever felt before. He released her arm, sighing sadly as he returned her gaze, now equally as empty. "You had me." The tense of his statement was not lost on either of them.

He turned away from her then, using his ability to blind and paralyze the unsuspecting family. Renesmee said nothing as she pounced upon them, one at a time, until their bodies were drained and broken. Alec could not find it within himself to watch her at that moment, and he had kept his back turned while she wept dryly over the carcasses of her meal.

They had walked back to the city walls in somber procession, never to speak of that night ever again. Unfortunately, it wasn't the last time Renesmee would drink human blood—as the newest member of the Volturi guard, it was her only dietary option. She probably wouldn't have chosen differently if it wasn't.

The two lovers were never the same; Renesmee lost her light and Alec could do nothing to bring her back to him. Her spirit had been snubbed out. And though Renesmee never removed Alec's engagement ring from her finger, they never became more.

Their mutual silence only lasted a few years. Eventually, they were able to look at one another, and even continued their late night conversations as they used to. Renesmee even stayed in Alec's room, just as they were sure their masters had planned all along.

Even though Alec wanted to be angry, wanted to be wild and livid with hate, he knew his place. Alec knew he was simply a pawn, a marionette, and that he would surely pay for such thoughts if he allowed them to fester.

So he did what he was told and nothing more. He became more of a drone than he had ever been before, more heartless and cruel than ever thought fathomable. And his masters could not have been more proud, more joyous to have their collection complete.

And though they appeared to treat her no differently than any other of their guard, Renesmee was always stationed by Alec's side, so that he had the pleasure of watching the monster he had inadvertently created, watching the glittering sparkle of a diamond ring that represented everything that would never be, and everything that he never deserved in the first place.


End file.
